Harvesting and similar machines



(N0 Model.) I

A. D DAILEY.

HARVESTING AND SIMILAR MACHINES. N0. 245,455. Patented Aug. 9,1881.

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' fill/6721077 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ABNER D. DAILEY, OF RILEY, INDIANA.

HARVESTING AND SIMILAR MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 245,455, dated August 9, 1881.

Application filed February 18, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ABN R D. DAILEY, of Riley, in the county of Vigo and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Harvesters and Similar Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and ex'act description, reference being had to the annexed drawings, forming part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a -self-actin g rest or support for the tongue of a harvester or similar machine, whereby the necks of the animals drawing the machine shall be relieved of the increased weight which is thrown upon the tongue when the machine comes to a stand.

The invention consists in a vertically-oscillating support, which is adapted to assume a perpendicular position when the forward end of the tongue is slightly elevated, and thus support the weight of the tongue when the machine is broughtto astand, and to be thrown backward out of the perpendicular position when the machine is set in motion, in order to allow the forward part of the machine to come sufficiently near the ground to accommodate the sickle-bar.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of the frame-work of a two-wheeled machine with my improvement attached, and

- Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the same.

It is well known that reapers and mowers which are supported upon two wheels are adapted to balance themselves when in motion with a comparatively-slight pressure upon the tongue 5 but as soon as such a machine comes to a stand the weight of the tongue alone is sufficient to cause the machine to tilt forward and throw a large proportion of its weight upon the tongue, and thus upon the necks of the horses. Now, asarigid supportfor the tongue would need to be very short in order to allow the forward part of such a machine to assume its proper position when in operation, it is evident that such a support would not be long enough to elevate the tongue when standing so as to relieve the horses of the superadded weight. I have therefore constructed an oscillating support, A, which is adapted to be pivoted to the tongue of a maground, will be thrown backward out of the perpendicular position, so as not to interfere with the proper action of the machine. This support consists of a bar of wood or metal having a vertical series of perforations, by which it may be adjusted to suit the height of different machines, and having the forward portion of its lower end beveled, and, when made of wood, provided, in addition thereto, with a metal plate.

The support A is pivoted to one side of the tongue B, near the rear end thereof, by means of a curved bar or bracket, 0, which is secured to the same side of the tongue, and a suitable bolt passing through the bracket, the

support, and the tongue. The opening for the support thus formed between the tongue and the bracket is made sufliciently elongated in the direction of the tongue to allow the support to oscillate far enough to the rear to be entirely without cfiect upon the operation of the machine when the latter is in motion.

The bevel or rearwardly-inclined plate at the lower end of the support is designed to lessen friction as the said end trails lightly upon the ground, and as the extreme point of the support is thus made sharp it is the better enabled to hold its perpendicular position when the tongue is elevated and the machine at rest. It will readily be seen that the device above described is self-acting, and that it assumes its operative position invariably when the forward end of the tongue is elevated Withoutin the least interfering with the proper action of the machine when the latter is in operation.

Having thus described my invention, what In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

A. D. DAILEY.

\Vitnesses:

JoHN E. WOQDRUFF, \VM. L. WOODRUFF. 

